My View of Life on the Dock
The Handline Dory which will be raffled off with proceeds benefitting The International Dory Rowers is painted and on display at Geno Mondello’s Dory shop.
Have you bought your ticket yet? If not click this text to find out how
Handline Dory To Be Raffled Off All Painted, originally uploaded by captjoe06.
The Handline Dory That The International Dory Racing will be raffling off is being painted here by Katherine Richmond. Of course the dory is being painted Dory Buff, the traditional dory color. If you don’t have your raffle tickets yet click this text to find out where how to win Tickets are only $5
Katherine Richmond Painting The Handline Dory For The Raffle, originally uploaded by captjoe06.
Cold? Check
Drizzly? Check
Foggy? Check
These guys don’t care. They are competitors and this year they want to win it all. To all of the rest of the Dory crews don’t say you haven’t been warned! If you are sitting at the computer reading this you are not training and Marc and Joe will be eating your lunch come race day!
Joe Sanfilippo and Marc Devoe Get In Some Early Season Dory Race Training, originally uploaded by captjoe06.
Footage from The August 08 International Dory Race Eliminations off of Niles Beach. Thanks to Katherine Richmond for the footage.
I’m dedicating this year to educating the masses of how awesome and accessible Dory Racing and rowing are to everyone. There simply is no better deal around to get you onto Gloucester Harbor, get exersize, feel like a part of a great Gloucester tradition than rowing.
From the Gloucester International Dory website-
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All year long you will see Dory Racing news, race results,pictures and video here. I want people to get it, to see just how easy it is to get on Gloucester Harbor for a measly $50.
Get involved, it’s a blast. Learn more at the Gloucester International Dory Website by clicking this text
To View The Dory Slide Show Click The Picture Below
These photos are from Frank Ciolino (Thanks, Frank!) at the “Winter Races” fundraiser for Gloucester’s International Dory Races.
Committee President Jim Tarantino told me this morning that he’s estimating that the event raised $2000 towards the $30,000 needed for 4 new dories and the 2009 operating expenses.
Acknowledgment awards were presented to Sen. Bruce Tarr, R-Gloucester, the schooner Thomas E. Lannon and Gorton’s.
Jim also wants everyone to know that his group not only coordinates races held throughout the summer, but also provides free lessons and other educational programs for the city’s middle school children and others interested in dory rowing.
The International Dory events calendar can be seen here.
So if you are interested in rowing (great exercise!) and would like to get out on the water with the experts, be sure to check this out!
I met Tim several years ago when he was announcing the International Dory Races . He has a million little kids who are always on the beach cheering on Daddy in the seine boat races during Fiesta! Here’s more about those races and why he’s smiling in this photo. —Sharon
The “Hump Cup” is a sailing race that takes place in Lunenburg Harbor every Wednesday. The trophy is a beauty, located at the “Ice House” bar upstairs from the Fisherman’s Museum. The building and it’s history and traditions are a centerpiece to that beautiful port. As I said the “Hump Cup” trophy is a beauty, a large rock with a cannon (which they say actually fires) mounted on a swivel on top, set in a polished wooden base and surrounded by shiny brass dories, each engraved with a different sponsor. The winner of the “Hump Cup” race is presented with the bottle of their choice which they then drink from the dories of the trophy. A splendid tradition.
It was Wednesday night when Joe Sanfilippo and I came in to the “Ice House” for a cocktail, where we found three “winners” of the “Hump Cup” race for that day. Needless to say the bottle they had won was long gone, and they were feeling their oats! When I shyly proclaimed myself “The Greatest Dory Rower in the World Today” there was quite a bit of playful banter back and forth and a wonderful time was had by all. On the way out, after several double Captain (Morgan) and Gingers I lifted one of the “Hump Cup” dories as payment for their disrespect!
The next day when I shared the story with our rowers I told them I had to go back and return it, so the next night we went back to the “Ice House” and had a cocktail, or two, or three. When we left, somehow, there were 5 dories missing from the “Hump Cup” trophy!
The next day we all felt guilty, and promised each other we’d return the dories Saturday before we left.
Well Saturday we had a great time, though the races didn’t go as well as we hoped we drowned our sorrows in the beer tent. We had a wonderful time with lots of new friends we’d met, and decided to continue the celebrations at the “Knot Pub”. Meanwhile, Garnett Heisler got a couple of our fine rowers heavily into the rum and they completed the sweep of the “Hump Cup” dories that night, to everyone’s delight! (I knew we would return them).
The day I got home I called the “Ice House” and spoke with a young lady, told her I would be returning them by mail as soon as I engraved an extra dory with “Gloucester Dory Rowers” so there were no hard feelings.
I’m mailing them tomorrow with a poem enclosed:
Lend an ear, this is one of our best “Ice House” stories:
When the pirates o’ Gloucester took our fine “Hump Cup” dories.
Our young sailors were a mess, aye, three sheets to the wind!
when the best of the best Gloucester rowers strode in.
Respects were not payed, though were certainly earned
“Then a prank should be played ‘ere the greenhorns shall learn”
The lead pirate had a plot, a salty trick up his sleeve
but was told he must not take the fair barmaid, Eve.
So the dories were borrowed. The rowers said with a smile,
“Let ’em guzzle their rum from the jug for a while!”
Soon the boats were returned to be drunk from again
then, once more, Lunenburg could call Gloucester a friend!
-- James A. Tarantino, President International Dory Race Committee james.tarantino@noaa.gov
Katherine Richmond’s Oar Maker Pictures From Canada, originally uploaded by captjoe06.
Unvarnished oars.
Katherine Richmond’s Oar Maker Pictures From Canada, originally uploaded by captjoe06.
I imagine they make the oars the same way today that they have for generations.
Katherine Richmond’s Oar Maker Pictures From Canada, originally uploaded by captjoe06.
Norman and Wallace are master scallop shuckers who showed off their skills to an appreciative crowd at the Lunenburg Waterfront Seafood Festival.
Photo Courtesy a friend of GMG.
Katherine Richmond’s Oar Maker Pictures From Canada, originally uploaded by captjoe06.
I really like this picture from Katherine Richmond. The light and shadows make for a great shot. I don’t know if it was intentional or not but in either case I dig it.
When the Gloucester Rower’s went up to Lunenburg for the Dory Races they went to Van Fancy’s Oar Making Shop. Here are a couple of examples of oars in various stages of finishing.
Katherine Richmond’s Oar Maker Pictures From Canada, originally uploaded by captjoe06.
Photo courtesy Frank Ciolino who also made the new GMG Banner. Thanks Frank!
From Frank-
Hi Joey this picture is of all the Gloucester rowers. This picture was taken at the reception they had for us in the Blue Nose room at the Fisherman’s Museum in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia.
Gloucester Dory Crews In Lunenburg Represent!, originally uploaded by captjoe06.
Watsie is a native of Lunenburg with a special connection to Gloucester.
At the age of 16, Mr. Knickle survived a fishing boat disaster. He was plucked from frigid waters by the crew of a Gloucester-based fishing vessel. 44 years later, he finally connected with some of those crew members, still in Gloucester, to thank them.
For the amazing story click the following link:
Thanks to a friend of GMG for the story and photos.
The trip to Lunenburg was a smashing success. Although we didn’t have as many wins in the Dory races as we would have liked, the bonds between our nations were strengthened like never before. We all can be tremendously proud of all the rowers and their families and friends as we spread peace and goodwill at every shop, restaurant and imbibing establishment we visited, and there were many visits to the latter.
Friday night the Town of Lunenburg welcomed us with a reception in the rarely seen “Bluenose Room” of the Fisherman’s Museum! The Gloucester folk mixed and met with many of the fine citizens and dignitaries of that beautiful port.
The races Saturday morning began with Katherine Richmond and Samantha Rose going up against “the pride of Clarke’s Harbor”, Nicole and Natalie Jones, in the Women’s Division. The U.S. girls rowed great, staying with the Canadians until the turn, but that’s when the experience of the Jones girls kicked in. They whipped around the flag and never looked back winning in a time of 6:02 compared to the 6:17 put up by Samantha and Katherine.
In the Junior race, Americans Joe Ciolino and Kyle Edmonds really had their work cut out for them, racing against Canadians Connor Swim and Holden Nickerson, who were twice their size! For a while it looked like the Americans might shock the world, as the hung with the big boys for most of the way to the pin. But the stronger crew began to pull away coming home and eventually won in a time of 6:07. Kyle and Joe finished with a respectable 6:26.
Next came the Master’s, and what a race it was! Defending Champs Mark Duval and Joe Sanfilippo once again faced their constant rivals Kenny MacDonald and Tim Mair, from Prince Edward Island. Tired of losing the last couple of races, the Canadian pair changed their stroke and prepared hard for the battle, and it WAS a war, with the lead going back and forth several times throughout the race! The throngs of spectators on the wharfs were going wild as both crews approached the finish line and no one could tell who was ahead! With nothing left in either tank, both dories still seemed to make a surge for the finish line and a photo finish. When the gun went off the Canadians had won the day, in a remarkable time of 5:39:31! Mark and Joe finished in 5:39:53! Just 22/100ths of a second behind. 15 beers later in the beer tent, the Americans called for a protest, then rescinded the protest after just one more beer!
Now it was Canadians 3, Americans 0, when the Mixed Doubles got in the boats, putting tremendous pressure on American Katherine Richmond, who was stuck with loud-mouthed Jim Tarantino for a partner. Tarantino was going around the Lunenburg waterfront for days, proclaiming himself “the greatest Dory Rower in the World Today”!!! The pressure was magnified by the fact they had to face Champions Natalie Jones and Tim Mair, who rowed like warriors! The U.S. team jumped out to an early lead and got about a boat and a half lead going into the turn. Mair and Jones made an excellent turn and closed the gap to less than a boat for most of the trip home! Fortunately for the Americans, Katherine responded superbly to the beggings and pleadings of her partner on the way home, and put on a push at the end of the race to give the U.S. it’s first win of the day, in 5:51.
The main event featured Americans Jerry Ciaramitaro and new-comer Mike Lovasco against savy veterans Danny Moody and Walter Nickerson from Lockeport, Nova Scotia. The Americans used their incredible strength to grab the early lead and seemed to be in control until about 3/4 of the way to the flags. Then they nearly collided with a channel buoy and lost valuable time. Canadians Nickerson and Moody seized the opportunity and got in and out of the turn as smooth as silk, taking a 2 boat lead. The strong Americans made a valiant effort on the way home, but a better course by Moody assured the victory for Canada, in a time of 10:34 versus the Americans 10:42.
The drizzly conditions and tough losses could not dampen the spirit of the American rowers, who continued to spread good cheer all over town, embracing the hearts and minds of the locals (and several traveling ambassadors) until the wee hours of the morning! On Sunday, a few of us were privileged to experience the finest hospitality Clarke’s Harbor has to offer, with a tour hosted by the families of Natalie and Nicole Jones, and the best Seafood platter in Nova Scotia!
Special thanks to all our hosts and new friends, which are too numerous to mention!
Katherine Richmond Dory Races Eliminations 8/23/08, originally uploaded by captjoe06.
Here Damon continues to search for the flags where the crews will turn around and head back to the beach while the junior crews prepare to race and Geoff Thomas looks on.
International Dory Races Eliminations 8/23/08, originally uploaded by captjoe06.
Good Morning Gloucester 